Sand Plasticity Model for Nonlinear Seismic Deformation Analyses

A sand plasticity model for nonlinear seismic deformation analyses is presented. The model follows the basic framework of the stressratio controlled, critical state compatible, bounding surface plasticity model for sand presented by Dafalias and Manzari (2004). Modifications to the model were implemented to improve its ability to approximate the stress-strain responses important to geotechnical earthquake engineering applications; in essence, the model was calibrated at the equation level to provide for better approximation of the trends observed across a common set of experimentally- and case history-based design correlations. An overview of the model formulation and example simulations of element loading tests are presented